New Ulm weekly review., 1887-03-16

8reaG C0ange IN lln1. u noticed him
vince once or twice when q more than
common sharp slur was thrown at
him. But generally he appeared not
to pay the least attention to what
was said.
Idon't just mind how long it was
before we began to notice that he was
altogether different Johnny. For
one thing he was neater in his person
and dress. His hair didn't flare up in
so many stubbly ways, showing that
1t was getting some pretty steady ra-
king over with brush and comb.
But che most noticeable thing was
the new look in his eyes. They shone
brighter and clearer, as if there was g.
heap more behind 'em than used to
be-; the whole face. seemed to sort of
shine up into good deal more in.
telllgence OF expression, showing that
he was getting knowledge of things in
some way, and laying in asteady
stock OF it on tap for use.
Igot the right understanding of this
one night as / chanced to pass the
Young Mems Christian Association
where there are first-class evening
schools acgoing all through the week,
and saw Johnny coming out of the
door. He was so nicely dressed, and
carried himself SO straight up and dig
nifed, hardly knew him.
Yes, he said, he was attending every
night and making good headway, as
Fanch had advised and told him he
could do.
So here was the cat let out of the
bag. This was how Johnny was going
to prove he was no ''mullet head"
and get even with Borlag.
| didn't let on about it to th b oys
for ever since l found out how good
the poor lad had been to his mother
couldn't help but respect and like him
too well to join in the worry against
him. 80 -"
smagg and Borlag kept up the game
as hard as ever, though. The first
out OF sheer love of fun and mischief,
and the foreman on account of the
spite he felt. Whenever pail of beer
came into the shop-and, by the way,
that was two and three times a day
Borlag would fill up the tin mug and
make d mock pretense of handing it to
Johnny, and when it was refused,
throw out the sneering taunt: "See
the miserable puke!' ...
After a. while it was noticed that
Johnny was having a daily newspaper
left at the shop, and he would sit down
in the noon hour and read it while he
eat his dinner. This raised a great
mocking hue and cry. AS it always is
where there are g. lot of ignorant
workmen in shop, the appearance of
book or paper in the hands of one of
their number in quest of better inteili-
gence will rouse their ireful ridicule in
a moment. There was dead set roar
OF coarse satire flung at Johnny on the
spot. .,
ooh, scissors and molasses!'' Borlag
yelled the minute he got his eye on the
obnoxious innovation. "See the null
let-head sucker lettin' on he can read!
I'll bet the drinks he don't know he's
got the paper upside down."
Then Smagg screamed FORTH
Him read? He don't know news.
paper from a side OF ole.leather!"
''Don't you fool yourselves, gentle
men," said Fanch, at this point, as
he came forward to the scene of mock
cry: "Johnny's got a better brain in
his head than any three of you put to-
gether."
This brought forth shouts OF deris-
ion. when George added
"Wait a bit. Some day he'll open
you fellows eyes in astonishment."
$50 will a wooden stump" Borlag
sneered. "He's sick duck to aston
ish any body"
Sometime after this I asked Johnny
If he was still pegging into his school
studies and how long he expected to
keep it up. With a bright glow of en-
thusiasm on his face be answered.
''Till can walk away from that
Jig-oan to something a good deal
better. It amt what a man starts
at that counts what he's worth.
It's what he pushes his way up to-"
l thought OF this a good while after.
wards. may as we'll confess that I'd
no sort OF idea that Johnny had any
thing extra in him. In fact, it amt
often that ignorant workmen will ac-
knowledge anything better in fellow
than is in themselves. Itdoes seem as
It there's s a sort particular selfshness
in ignorance that can't hear and see
anything brighter or smarter than it's
own stupid Observation-Disclosures.
reckon / must had a lot OF this feeling
in me, for / mind that the notion OF
his undertaking to work his way up to
good education by tending night
school l made mighty little account Of.
That would have been to put him down
as smarter than we were. Besides, I'd
known lots OF chaps set into the same
thing with a big squirt. But they soon
tuckered utand give the fool business
up. It was too much after the fag Of a
hard days work. AS Borlag said
"Who the blazes wants to fool his
time stuffing book farming into him as
if.he's setting up to be a schoolmarm?
What q man wants after days work
is a game OF euchre or seven-up, and
two Or three mugs OF beer"
So he and the rest kept on swilling
beer and let books and newspapers
alone, while Johnny continued to
Stllff his head with kn0wle6oa and let